Safety mechanism for typographic machines



F. W. LETSCH.

SAFETY MECHANISM FOR TYPOGRAPHIC MACHINES.

APPLICATION HLED JULY 21.1920.

1,41 0,332; Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

v 5 SHEETS SHEET 1.

"I 4.96 i ,l

I g 50.9 lxn e/ lfor @Mwzim Jm w wvm F. W. LETSMCH.

SAFETY MECHANISM FOR TYPOGRAPHIC MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2]., 1920.

A 1,410,332. Patented Mal 21,1922.-

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Java

F. W. LETSCH.

I SAFETY MECHANISM FOR TYPOGRAPHC MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21.1920.

1,410,332.. Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ r a MM.

497 Y j 20/ L, 57/ l J5 F I.

, v F.'w. uann. I fSAFEIY MECHANISM FOR TYIPOGR'APHIC MACHINES.

, APPLldATION FILED JULY 21, I920.

Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

5 .sumssum 4.

Iaye ikr Emmi/ 1.224174 F. w. LETSCH. SAFETY MECHANISM FOR TYPOGHAPHIC MACHINES.

I APPLlCATlON HLED JULY 2h 1920- 1,410,332. Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

5 S HEETS-SHEET 5' [UM w. M

oNi'rEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAFETY IiIEGHAl J'ISEvI FOR T YIUGRAPHIC MACHI NES.

Specification of Letters Patent. lfatented Mar, 21, 1922,

Original application filed March 15, 1918, Serial No. 222,760. Divided and this application filed July 21,

To all v.0 item, it may concern Be it known that I. Fnnunmcn \V. Ln'rscn a citizen of the United States, and residing at Baltimore city, vState of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety llliechanism for Typographic Machines of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain detailet improvements in safety mechanism for typographic machines and particularly machines of the kind disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 222,760, filed March 15 1.918, of which the present application is a division.

it is the object of the invention to provide mechanism by which the operation of a machine such as that disclosed in my said prior application can be quickly stopped in case certain operating parts of the mechanism fail to function properly, this result being accomplished by stopping the rotation of the main cam shaft/of the machine.

More specifically it is the object oi. the invention to provide various forms of latches or locking devices which are so positioned that they will not interfere with the operation of the machine in case all parts are time tionin g in the proper manner but which will serve to stop the action of the machine in case certain parts fail to compl.etetheir normal movements or fail to operate in the manner intended.

It still further object is to provide a'simple and effective mechanism of the kind mentio ed which will serve to insure the proper operation of machines of the kind mentioned and which will obviate the difficulties and dangers experienced in case the machine is not stopped when certain parts fail to move at the proper time and in the proper manner.

The machine shown in my application above mentioned and to which the present invention is particularly applicable includes among other things assembling mechanism, first and second elevators and an intermediate transfer slide and a main cam shaft from which the various parts of the mechanism. are operated. A detailed description or illustration of all this mechanism is unnecessary for the purposes of this application, which will be limited as far as possible, to the various safety devices and the parts of the mechanism which cooperate therewith.

The invention. is set forth in the following Serial No. 397,885.

specification and illustratedin the acconr panying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a frontelevation of the trans fer slide with which certain features of the invention. are associated;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the transfer slide, certain parts appearing in section;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 8-3 of l igureQ;

Figure 4 is a plan view illustrating certain parts of themechanism for stopping the rotation of the main cam shaft of the machine;

Figure 5 is a sectional view 011 the line 5- T) of Figure a showing the main clutch mechanism of the machine";

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 1 various parts appearing in elevation Figure 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-7 of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 88 of Figure 6 Figure 9 is a detailed sectional view of part of the mechanism employed for moving the assembling mechanism.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1751 indicates diagrami'natically an electric motor on the armature shaft of which is a pinion 175 in mesh with 'a large gear 176 which is normally free to turn loosely on a clutch shaft 177. The clutch member178 extends outwardly from one side of the gear 176'. its outer surface'serving as a pulley for a belt 179 which drives the distributing mechanism and other parts of the machine, this inner surface being adapted to cooperatewith the clutch shoes 180 which are carried by a frame or spider 181 fast on the end of the clutch shaft 177 The shoes 180 are connected to toggle links 182, the inner ends of which are pivotally connected to a rod 183 extending centrally through the clutch shaft 177 and having its inner end connected by a pin 184C to a collar 1'85 sliding on the clutch shaft 177. The pin 184 extends through a slot 186 in said clutch shaft 177. A spring 187 pressing on a collar 188 fast on the rod 183 tends constantly to pull the toggle links 182 into alignment and force the clutch shoes 180 into engagement with the clutch member 17 8 on the constantly running gear 176. The clutch shoes are normally disengaged from the clutch member 178 however by means which will be pres ently described;

Referring to Figures 4 and 6, 189indicates a depending arm pivoted to the frame of the machine at 190 and having at its lower end a yoke 191 spanning the clutch shaft 17 7 and in position to engage the col lar 185. This yoke is adaptedto be moved by a lever 192 to disengage the main clutch shoes from the gear 176 and it is also adapted to be moved by othermechanism which forms no part of the present invention and which it is unnecessary to describe. The main cam shaft 2000f the machine is driven from the clutch shaft 177 by a pinion 195 and gear 196. On the cam. shaft 200 there is secured a disk 197, as shown particularly in Figures 4 and 6, which carries a spring latch or pawl. 198 whicheffects an automatic throwihg out of the main clutch above described, and a similar spring latch 199 which may be termed. an emergency latch. Each of these spring latches. is normally pressed away from the disk 197 by similar springs 201,. which hold the latches out of register tation of the shaft.

with notches 2041 formed in the body of the disk and in position to engage an arm 202 of an elbow lever 202 pivoted to a fixed part of the frame. hen the latch 198 is in its normal position shown in Figure 4, and the shaft 200 is rotated, said latch will engage the arm 202 of the elbow lever 202 and rock the other arm 202? of said lever against the forward end of lever 192 thus moving the.

derstood that with the parts in the position shown in Figure 4, if the latch 198 is moved into its recess 204-, the spring, 1.87 in the clutch shaft 177 causes the levers 192 and 202 to move about their pivots and also causes engagement of the main clutch mechanism which starts rotation of the main cam shaft 200., Similarly if the latch 199 is pressed into the recess 204 it willnot contact with the lever202 as the cam shaft 200 is rotated and will not interfere with the ro- In order to clearly describe the present invention brief reference to the operation of is partly illustrated in Figure-9 of the drawshown) which,

mechanism shown in Figure 9 and other mechanism (not shown) associated therewith, is given a single movement toward and the assembling mechanism of the machine will be necessary, This mechanism which ing and generally designated by the numeral 205 is driven through the medium of a belt 207 which engages the hub 208 of the constantly running gear 176. The assembling mechanism includes an assembler slide (not through the medium of the from the mold to carry assembled matrices to the casting position. The movement of the assembler slidein one direction causes movement of a lever 235, which through suitable connections'operates a pivoted lever 242, one end of which is provided with a roller 24?), positioned to engage and depress the latch 198 when the lever 242 is operated. The result is that upon every operation of the assembler slide the latch 198 is pressed into its recess 20 1 and the cam shaft 200 is caused to rotate through one revolution or until the lever 202 again comes in contact with the latch 198. Such rotation of the cam shaft takes place, however only in the latch 199 is depressed into its recess 204;

at. the proper time as hereinafter described.

same about-its pivot and depress the latch 19S. Cllhemechanism for manually operating the bar 248 constitutes no part of the present invention and further description of the same is unnecessary.

Various features of the safety mechanism involved in the present invention are associated with the first and second elevator and the intermediate transfer slide, and reference will nowbe made to these parts of the machine. Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the numeral 300 indicates generally the first elevator by which the matrices are raised to a position to be transferred to the slide of the second elevator generally indicated at 483. This transfer of the matrices is effected by means of a pusher 48%, which is a U-shaped device carried by an arm 1-85 on a slide i286 running in suitable llOllZOllilEil.gllKlGS 486.

The matrices and the space" bands are brought up by the first elevator against'a fixed V-shaped guide 4-87 which holds them in alignment while they arebeing transferred to the second elevator. The transfer slide e86 is operated by a link 41-88 on an arm I 189 pivoted at 4:90 and a cam lever 4:91 op- '(not shown) and the arrangement of theparts is such that the matrix pusher e8 1 stands normally in it'sright hand position the entrance of such space band mechanism. lVhen the cam shaft 200 starts to rotate the pusher moves to the extreme left polit? sition shown in Figures 1 and 2. It then advances suiiiciently to push the line of mat rircs on to the second elevator 46 and rests a moment until the second elevator raises the matrices. The pusher then advances to drive the space bands into their magazine in the well known manner.

A safety device is provided to prevent the operation of the transfer slide and pusher in case the first elevator has not brought the matrices to the proper elevation, a second safety device prevents the operation of the slide and pusher in case the second elevator is not down to its lowest position ready to receive the matrices, and a third safety de vice operates to stop'the machine and prevent the full rotation of the main cam shaft 200 in case the transfer slide is released by the first two safety devices but fails to complete its movement to carry the space hands into their magazine. These safety devices will now be described.

hen the transfer slide 486 is drawn back to its left hand position as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a notch 495 in the slide is engaged by a latch 496 pivoted to a fixed part of the machine frame. The latch 496 is so positioned as to be engaged by a part of the first elevator 300 when the latter is moved to its highest position. In case the first elevator does not operate properly the latch 496 will prevent the transfer slide 486 moving to the right and the arm 489 will break at the point 493. This results in stoppage of the machine by means of the third safety device which will be presently explained.

The second safety device comprises a latch lever 497 theleft end 498 of which is normally depressed'by a spring 499 into the path of a projection 500 on the pusher arm 46 5. The right end 501 of the lever 49? is in the path of a projection on the second elevator 483 and when said second elevator moves down fully into positionto receive a line of matrices it depresses the end501 of the'latch lever 497 and raises the latch 498 permitting the transfer slide to operate to move the matrices on to the second elevator; otherwise, the latch will prevent the transfer slide from moving and'the machine will be stopped, as presently described.

The third safety device which will stop the machine before the main cam shaft 200 makes a fiillrevolution in case the matrix transfer slide is detained by one'or the other of the safety latches or fails to move propcrly to the right, or for any other cause, operates as follows:

- The lever 502 has pivot-ally connected to it a rod 503. the left end'of which slides in a guide 504 and is intercepted 1nlts shding movement by a latch 505 pivoted 506 and normally pressed into the path of the rod 503 by a spring 507. The forward end of this latch carries a roller 508 which is normally in the path of an incline 509 on the transfer slide 486. hen the transfer slide is not prevented from moving to the right by the safety devices or any other obstruction the latch 505 is moved out of the path of the rod 503 by means of the incline 509 and the lever 502 is permitted to operate in its normal manner to be presently described, but if the lever 502 is obstructed in its operation by the latch 505 the machine will be stopped before full revolution of the cam shaft 200 by means of the following mechanism.

Referringparticularly to Figures 4, 6 and 8 the lever 502 heretofore referred to is pivoted on a suitable bracket 510 and is pro.- vided with a downwardly extending arm 502, the lower end of which is connected. by a link 511 with the short arm of a lever 512 which is pivoted at 513 to a suitable fixed bracket. The long arm of the lever 512 carries a roller 514 which is normally pressed into contact with an annular flange 515 secured'to the disk 197, such pressure being; obtained by means of (i-spring; 516 mounted onthe hub of the lever 502. The roller therefore follows thecontour oft-he flange 515 and at times enters the depression 515 of'the flange which results in movement of the lever. 502. It will be understood that when the shaft 200 is rotated and when the upper end of the 1ever502 is not obstructed in its movement the roller 504 travels on the flange 515 and enters the depressions 515 and moves back a sliding bolt 517 which in turn moves back the emergency latch 199 into its recess 204 at the moment that this latch reaches the stopping lever 202, thus permitting the latch to pass the stopping lever and also permittinggithe cam shaftto make a full revolution until it is stopped by contact ofthe latch 198 with the lever-202, as heretofore explained. If the lever 5025s obstructed in its movement the roller 514 will be prevented from entering. the'recess 515 and hencetthelatch 199iwill encounter the lever 202 and-immediately stop the revo- V lution of the cam shaft in the manner heretofore described. l

It therefo're' follows that in case the transfer slide 486 does not operate to release the lever 502 the movement of the upper end of the lever to the right will be stopped by the latch 505 and theroller 514 will be prevented from entering the recess 515 and hence the latch 199 will encounter the lever 202 and immediately stop the rotation of the cam shaft and prevent the further operation of the machine. W hen the machine is operating properly the first elevator will raise the assembled matrices into position to be moved to the second elevator and during such movementfof the first elevator the latch 496' will be lifted out of the notch 495 of the transfer slide. The transfer slide will then move the line of matrices and; the space bands on to the second elevator, the latch lever 4:97 at such time being raised so that its end 498 will not contact with the projection 500. The second elevator will then raise the matrices to the distributing mechanism leaving the space bands on suitable supporting rails and theitransfer slide 486 will then move forward and carry the space hands into their magazinc and during such further movement of said slide the, incline 509 cooperating with the roller 508 will move the lever 505 out of the path of the sliding rod 503 thus permitting free movement of the lever 502 and permitting a complete rotation of the cam shaft 200. v

It is evident that various modifications may be made in the specific details of the mechanism heretofore described without departin from the spirit of the invention which is not limited to the particular mechanism disclosed. p c

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured byyLetters Patent is: 1 a

1; In a typographic machine, a distributing mechanism comprising a first elevator, a second elevator, transfer slide arranged to move matrices from the first elevator to the second elevator when the latter is in its lowermost position, means for preventing movement of the slide in case the first elevator fails'to move to its uppermost position, and means for stopping the operation of the machine when movement of the slide is prevented. V

2. In a typographic machine having a distributing mechanism comprising a first elevator, a second elevator, and transfer slide arranged to move matrices from the first elevator to the second elevator when the former is in its uppermost position andthe latter inxits lowermost position, means for preventing movement of said slide until the second elevator reaches its lowermost position, and means forstopping the operation ofthe machinewhen movement ofthe slide is prevented.

In a typographic machine having aidis-r tributor mechanism comprising a firstelevator, a second elevator and a transfer slide for moving matrices from the first "elevator vator, a second elevator and a transfer slide formoving matrices from the first'elevator to the-second elevator, a slidable rod, a lement of said rod when either of. said elcva tors fails to complete its movement in one direction.

In a typographic n'iachino, a distributing mechanism including a first elevator, a second elevator and transfer slide for moving matrices from the first elevator to the second elevator, a slidable rod arranged adjacent said slide, a: main cam shaft, means for moving said slide, means for stcpping rotation of said shaft when movement of said rod is prevented, a latch normally positioned in the path of movement of said rod, and means for moving said. latch out of its normal position when said slide is operated;

6. In a typographic machine having'a distributing mechanism, includinga first elevator, a second elevator, and an intermediate transfer device, a cam shaft having cams and connections for operating said elevators and transfer device, and means for automatically stopping the rotation of the cam shaft in the event of any of said devices failing to function properly. r v Y 7. In a typographic machine; the combination with two matrix elevators and an intermediate transfer device, of a camshaft :and connections for operating saidielevators and device, means normally permitting the cam shaft to make a complete rotation, and means controlled by the movement of the transfer device to stop the cam shaft before the completion of a rotation if the transfer 'device fails to function properly. 8. In typographic machinehaving assembling mechanism, casting mechamsm,

and distributing mechanism, a main cam shaft, means for automatically starting said maincarn shaft, means for normally 1nn1t- 'ingthe movement of the cam shaft to a single rotation, and emergency means for stopping the cam: shaft before it completes a rotation in case certain elements of the ma chine fail to function properly.

9. In autypographic machine having assembling mechanism, casting and distributing mechanism, a ,main'cam shaft having cams for operating the casting and distributing mechanisms, a disk on said cam shaft havinga latch for normally holding said cam shaft against rotation, an emergency latch on said disk adapted in its normal position to stop the rotationof the cam shaft before it completes a rotation,

and automatically operating means for rendering said emergency latch inoperative to stop the-cam shaft under certain conditions. 10,111 a typographic machine having assembling mechanism, casting mechanism and distributing mechanism, a main cam mechanism shaft having cams for operating the casting and distributing mechanisms, a disk on said cam shaft having a latch for normally holding said cam shaft against rotation, an emergency latch on said disk adapted in its normal position to stop the rotation of the cam shaft before it completes a rotation, and automatically operating means for rendering said emergency latch inoperative to stop the cam shaft under certain conditions, said means including a rotating annular flange carried by the cam shaft and having a depression opposite the emergency latch, and a roller traveling on said flange and adapted, when entering said recess to render said latch inoperative.

11. In a typographic machine, a distributing mechanism comprising a first elevator, a second elevator and a tranfer slide arranged to'move matrices from the first elevator to the second elevator when the latter is in its lowermost position, a main cam shaft for operating the machine, means for normally limiting the movement of said cam shaft to a single rotation, emergency means for stopping the rotation of said cam shaft before it completes a rotation, said means including a latch operated by movement of said slide and a part engageable with said latch when movement of the slide is prevented.

In testimon whereof I afiiX my signature.

F EDERICK W. LETSCH. 

